Healy apologises for gaffe

Wednesday 10 January 2007 00:02 BST

Former Australia Test star Ian Healy has apologised after appearing to mock a breast cancer charity while commentating on television during the first Commonwealth Bank Series final between England and Australia.

Viewers complained to Channel Nine after Healy was caught pretending to play the violin as Andrew Symonds discussed his and team-mate Matthew Hayden's use of pink bat grips to raise money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Healy said: "If anyone perceives my actions to have been critical of breast cancer research, I offer a total apology. We were winding Andrew Symonds up to talk about his pink grip, you know we have these massive big blokes using pink grips on their bats and that was the wind-up."

The initiative, which sees money donated for runs and boundaries scored by the pair this Australian season, has so far raised over £10,000.